Methods and Arrangements to Coordinate Communications of Different Types of Devices on a Wireless Network

1. A method to coordinate wireless transmissions of high-power communications devices and low-power communications devices, the method comprising: determining, by a first communications device, a time duration to allocate for low transmit power transmissions; and instructing, by the first communications device, high-power communication devices to defer high transmit power transmissions for the time duration to avoid a collision between a high transmit power transmission and a low transmit power transmission by allocating the time duration for low transmit power transmissions, wherein allocating comprises: generating a frame indicating the time duration; and transmitting the frame indicating the time duration.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, by shepard logic of a high-power communications device, a low transmit power transmission and, in response, deferring high transmit power transmissions during the time duration, wherein the first communication device comprises the high-power communications device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising transmitting, by the high-power communications device, the time duration in a time information element of a management frame with a device type field value indicating that the time duration comprises a time slot allocated for low transmit power transmissions.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting, by the high-power communications device, a periodicity value in the time information element to associate the time duration with the periodicity to establish a periodic time slot allocated to low transmit power transmissions.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving an indication that a low-power communications device adopts the time information and deferring high transmit power transmissions until an expiration of the time duration.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving an indication that a low-power communications device does not adopt the time duration and, in response, reducing deferment of the high-power transmissions to less than the time duration.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by a high-power communications device, low transmit power transmissions during the time duration, wherein the high-power communications device is the first communications device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting, by the first communications device, comprises transmitting by an access point with a high transmit power, wherein the frame comprises a management frame with a time information element, the time information element comprising a device type field comprising an indication of a low-power device and a time duration field comprising the time duration.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting, by the access point, a periodicity associated with the time duration in the frame.

10. An apparatus to coordinate transmissions of different types of devices on a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: a medium access control logic comprising hardware to determine a time duration to allocate for low transmit power transmissions and to instruct high-power communication devices to defer high transmit power transmissions for the time duration to avoid a collision between a high transmit power transmission and a low transmit power transmission by allocation of the time duration for low transmit power transmissions, wherein allocation comprises generation of a frame indicating the time duration, the frame; and a physical layer logic to transmit a preamble with the frame indicating the time duration to instruct high-power communication devices to defer high transmit power transmissions for the time duration.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising one or more antennas coupled with a radio and a processor to transmit the frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises shepard logic to detect a low power communication and, in response, defer high transmit power transmissions during the time duration, wherein the apparatus comprises a high-power communications device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises shepard logic to transmit the time duration in a time information element of a management frame with a device type field value indicating that the time duration comprises a time slot allocated to low transmit power transmissions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to transmit a periodicity value in the time information element to associate the time duration with the periodicity to establish a periodic time slot allocated to low transmit power transmissions.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises shepard logic to receive an indication that a low-power communications device adopts the time information and defer high transmit power transmissions until an expiration of the time duration.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises shepard logic to receive an indication that a low-power communications device does not adopt the time information and to reduce deferment of the high transmit power transmissions to less than the time duration in response.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to transmit, by an access point, the frame with a high transmit power, wherein the frame comprises a management frame with a time information element, the time information element comprising a device type field comprising an indication of a low-power device and a time duration field comprising the time duration.

18. A method to coordinate wireless transmissions of high-power communications devices and low-power communications devices, the method comprising: receiving, by a first communications device, a frame indicating a time duration associated with low transmit power communication; adopting the time duration if the first communications device is a low-power communications device, wherein adopting comprises transmitting a low transmit power transmission during the time duration in response to receipt of the frame to avoid a collision with a high transmit power transmission; and deferring high transmit power transmissions during the time duration if the first communications device is a high-power communications device that is capable of high transmit power transmissions to avoid a collision with a low transmit power transmission in response to receipt of the frame.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, by shepard logic, a prior low transmit power transmission and, in response, deferring high transmit power transmissions during the time duration, wherein the first communication device comprises a high-power communications device.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the high-power communications device, the time duration in a time information element of a management frame with a device type field value indicating that the time duration comprises a time slot allocated to low transmit power transmissions.

21. A program product to coordinate wireless transmissions of high-power communications devices and low-power communications devices, the program product comprising: a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions to be executed by a processor-based device, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor-based device, perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving, by a medium access control logic of a communications device, a frame comprising a time information element, the time information element comprising a time duration, the time duration indicating a time slot allocated for low transmit power transmissions during which high transmit power transmissions are to be deferred; adopting the time duration if the communications device is a low-power communications device, wherein adopting comprises transmitting a low transmit power transmission during the time duration in response to receipt of the frame to avoid a collision with a high transmit power transmission; and deferring high transmit power transmissions during the time duration if the communications device is a high-power communications device that is capable of high transmit power transmissions to avoid a collision with a low transmit power transmission in response to receipt of the frame.

22. The program product of claim 21 , wherein receiving the frame comprising the time information element comprises receiving the time information element comprising a device type associated with the time duration, the device type indicating that the time slot is allocated for low-power communications devices.

23. The program product of claim 21 , wherein receiving the frame comprising the time information element comprises receiving the time information element comprising a periodicity associated with the time duration, the periodicity indicating a periodicity of the time slot allocated for low transmit power transmissions during which high transmit power transmissions are to be deferred.

24. The program product of claim 21 , wherein communicating, by the communications device, during the time duration comprises storing an indication of the time duration and the periodicity in memory and communicating during more than one of the time slots.

25. An apparatus to coordinate wireless transmissions of high-power communications devices and low-power communications devices, the apparatus comprising: a medium access control logic comprising hardware to receive a frame comprising a time information element, the time information element comprising a time duration, the time duration indicating a time slot allocated for low transmit power transmissions during which high transmit power transmissions are to be deferred; adopt the time duration if the communications device is a low-power communications device, wherein adoption comprises transmission of a low transmit power transmission during the time duration in response to receipt of the frame to avoid a collision with a high transmit power transmission; and defer high transmit power transmissions during the time duration if the communications device is a high-power communications device that is capable of high transmit power transmissions to avoid a collision with a low transmit power transmission in response to receipt of the frame.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising one or more antennas coupled with a physical layer logic, a radio, and a processor to transmit a low transmit power communication during the time slot.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising memory coupled with the medium access control logic, the medium access control sublayer logic to store an indication of the time slot in the memory.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the medium access control logic comprises logic to receive the time information element comprising a periodicity associated with the time duration, the periodicity indicating a periodicity of the time slot allocated for low-power communications and during which high-power communications are to be deferred.

29. A program product to coordinate transmissions of different types of devices on a wireless network, the program product comprising: a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions to be executed by a processor-based device, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor-based device, perform operations, the operations comprising: determining a time duration to allocate for low transmit power transmissions; and instructing high-power communication devices to defer high transmit power transmissions for the time duration to avoid a collision between a high transmit power transmission and a low transmit power transmission by allocating the time duration for low transmit power transmissions, wherein allocating comprises: generating a frame indicating the time duration; and transmitting the frame indicating the time duration.

30. The program product of claim 29 , wherein transmitting the frame comprises transmitting by an access point with a high transmit power, wherein the frame comprises a management frame with a time information element, the time information element comprising a device type field comprising an indication of a low-power communication device and a time duration field comprising the time duration.